Categories
Why Drama?

Why Drama is so Important in School – PART 2 – CREATIVITY

Part 2 of the 12 part series: Why Drama is so important in School. – CREATIVITY Sherlock Holmes once questioned what the point was of filling his brain with useless facts, in this particular case, the Earth revolving around the Sun. As he would rather fill his brain with useful facts. Although I don’t completely agree with his philosophy,…

Categories
Why Drama?

Why Drama is so Important in Schools

Over the next several weeks and months I’ll be writing a 12-part series about why drama is so important in schools.  I’ll be covering several different aspects of the benefits of why we do drama, what it gives our kids that very few extra-curricular activities can give, as well as ideas and suggestions on to how to make theater…

Categories
Fun Shakespeare Stuff

HamLion – How Lion King is based off Hamlet

I ask kids all the time, “Have you ever seen The Lion King? Then you know the story of Hamlet!” Well, on the most part, yes, but not exactly… I came across this great infographic that showcases the differences and similarities and well … slight differences… like, oh, I don’t know, Elton John singing?  Anyway,…

Categories
Shakespeare teaching ideas Shakespeare Lesson Plans Fun Shakespeare Stuff

Shakespearean Tragedy Bingo

Ok, let’s start with, I didn’t make this… but, it’s pretty darn cool! (credit to Mya Gosling) Shakespearean Tragedy Bingo.  My first thought was, it’s going to be a pretty long game.  But, my second thought was to actually make this into a game.  Have all the different scenes that relate to the squares put…

Categories
Jungle Book

25 Facts about The Jungle Book

In order to celebrate the launch of my 13th book, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book for Kids, I put together a little “Did you know?” page.  It’s different things we learned along the path of creating this melodramatic 15 minute play from the original works of Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Enjoy! DID YOU KNOW? 1)…

Categories
Performing Shakespeare for kids

Shakespeare Kids are Creative

So, I’ve done dozens of afterschool / homeschool Shakespeare for Kids programs.  As well as I’ve seen my plays performed all around the world. And one thing is VERY clear – these kids are creative! I want to pass on one piece of information that’s critical to anyone directing one of my plays: Let the…

Categories
Shakespeare in the world

The Merchant IN Venice!

That’s right, I said “IN”, the Merchant IN Venice! Read below from one of our guest bloggers about a rare opportunity… I have always wondered how it would be to see Shakespeare’s characters in the places which the Bard himself thought for them, how it would be to see Lorenzo wooing Jessica outside a Venetian…

Categories
Shakespeare teaching ideas Performing Shakespeare for kids

Why Shakespeare Tragedies are funnier than Comedies

Ok, this is a short little post about a great little document that I found. Full credit to Cam Magee, and he summarizes this best: Everybody dies.  And THAT is why tragedies are funnier than comedies, when performed by kids melodramatically!  From the data I have collected (watching kids perform) ALL kids LOVE to die…

Categories
Shakespeare in the world

Book of Life and Shakespeare

So I just went to the movie theater with my kid to see the movie, The Book of Life. I really enjoyed the movie, and the music that goes along with it. But, what caught my surprise was the Shakespeare reference that was in it. This is a nice subtle way to get kids to…

Categories
Shakespeare teaching ideas Shakespeare in the world

Shakespeare and Science

So I ran across this great article and it really got me thinking about science during Shakespeare’s time. How much science was around (well, it was all around, but how much was discovered by the 1600s?) and how was Shakespeare influenced by science?  Well, I’ll tell you this, I’m an engineer and my wife is…

%d bloggers like this: